Feb 06 Does it Make Economic Sense for Homeowners to Immediately Pay Off Their Mortgage? Question/Comment: Given that U.S. banks appear to need cash to stabilize themselves and begin extending credit, would it not make economic sense for homeowners with mortgages to pay off the balance of their loans as soon as possible if not… Continue reading
Dec 19 White House Announces $17.4 Billion Auto Rescue By PBS News Hour The Bush administration announced a rescue plan for the sinking U.S. auto industry Friday, offering $17.4 billion in loans conditioned on concessions from carmakers and a return to viability by March 31. Continue reading
Dec 12 White House Weighs Action on Auto Rescue By Admin, PBS News Hour The White House said Friday it was considering tapping the $700 billion financial industry bailout fund to prevent the collapse of the ailing U.S. auto giants after the Senate failed to reach a compromise on a rescue package for Detroit's… Continue reading
Nov 12 Paulson Says Bailout Funds May Not Be Used to Buy Troubled Assets By PBS News Hour Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson announced a major shift in the government's bailout program Wednesday, saying the $700 billion rescue package will not be used to purchase troubled assets as originally planned. Continue reading
Oct 30 Watch Lessons of Great Depression Apply to Current Meltdown The stock market crash of 1929 offers parallels to the spiraling financial crisis of the 21st century, giving insight to measures that can help correct the collapse. Paul Solman talks to two authors on the Great Depression who assess the… Continue watching
Oct 14 U.S. Treasury to Inject $250 Billion into Banks By Admin, PBS News Hour In a new effort to shore up confidence in the economy and inject life into frozen credit markets, the U.S. Treasury will inject $250 billion into several large banks. Continue reading
Oct 08 How much of investment banks' portfolios are tied up in the stock market? Question/Comment: What are the connections between investment banks/houses and the stock market? How much of these investment banks’ portfolios are tied up in the stock market, and how much is in other places (like loans to businesses)? Paul Solman: Investment… Continue reading
Oct 08 Fed, European Banks Coordinate Interest Rate Cut By PBS News Hour Facing worries of a global recession, the Federal Reserve and six other major central banks from around the world announced a coordinated half a percentage point interest rates cut on Wednesday. Continue reading
Sep 24 Kindly explain just how the U.S. taxpayer will be asked to cough up nearly $ 1 trillion to pay for this bailout? Question/Comment: Kindly explain just how the U.S. taxpayer will be asked to cough up nearly $ 1 trillion to pay for this bail out? Nobody has spelled this out in detail as far as I know. Can we expect our… Continue reading
Aug 01 How exactly did the banks lose money? Question/Comment: My question about the mortgage crisis is this: how exactly did the banks lose money? It seems that people who put deposits on the loans that were foreclosed upon lost their money, not the banks. The banks… Continue reading